kinda new, boiling with old tin pans?

[ryno83]

Hello everyone im new here. im 17 and im starting out sugaring this year, ive always made some with my grandparents just tapping the trees in the yard and boiling on the coal stove. this year im hoping to have about 50 taps, atleast. this past summer I came across an old tin boiling pan (I think I paid $40) its was kind of rusty but I cleaned it with my wire wheel brush on my grinder and rubbed it down with olive oil to keep it from rusting. my question is can I still use this pan or have I just got an English tin bookshelf? 8295

[Bucket Head]

I'd use it. Two of my original boiling pans were steel. One was welded and the other was soldered like that one. Theres a homemade rig with a tin pan thats posted in another section- take a look at that one.

If you are planning on selling syrup to the general public, you should consider a stainlees steel pan with lead free solder. But for home use with family and friends getting the syrup, you'll be fine. A lot of the users on this site started out with a pan similar to yours.

After you expand and upgrade your operation you can make a bookshelf out of it. Or better yet, hang it on the sugarhouse wall for decoration, and you can explain to visitors about how you got started with that pan.

Good luck!

Steve

[wrushton]

I started out last year with a set that I wheeled and dealed for. The big one is 2x6 with fluted bottom and 18" height they were very black so I got the smart idea of sand blasting them, well my first boil the rust started rolling off the sides because the steam. I had a old set that came with the old sugar house I got, I finish the season with them.
I been doing research on differace coatings, so what I am going to try this year is I put cooking oil on them with a small fire and the metal should be protected withthe oil that will burn into it . I am doing this a few time to put a coating on the side the sugar will cover it at some point, I hope.

[Sugarmaker]

For a antique book shelf you did good. I do have several of these hanging in the sugarhouse too. These will make syrup but as mentioned don't let sap or syrup set in them for over a day or so due to the lead in the seams. Reducing dwell time is one of the only ways to reduce concerns of lead. Good luck making syrup this year. Are you going to build a arch?
Regards,
Chris

[ryno83]

thanks for your help fellas, I have a couple ideas for an arch.. I do have a 275 gallon oil tank that we don't use anymore if been thinking about making into an arch but it thought it might end up being too big. with modifications I think I could us a 55 gallon drum but that would be pushing it. a guy up the road uses a pan similar in size and he just built a stand for it out of angle iron with steel barn siding as sides and put a colar on for his stovepipe. im not sure the best way to go I may just set it up on cinder blocks.i really appreciate your guys' input.

[gwcutter10]

Well I can say this... Make sure whatever you do is safe and sturdy.... You don't want hot sap/ syrup on you and don't want to catch anything on fire. go with the 275... if you can find another one cut the flat sides out of it and use that to line your arch... i've made 3 different arches since starting this 11 yrs ago and have had alot of ideas from friends and neighbors....start poking around... you'll get ideas and maybe some more second hand equipment.... it's taken me a long time to get where I am at now but I have good pans... I use a leader half pint pan to boil on my homemade arch and bought a D&G finish pan when I came home from Afghanistan in 2011. People will help you and probably let you borrow or give you some of their old stuff.....And I have my grandfathers pan hanging up in my shack that we used when I was 5. I'm 39 now...And the pans like yours my buddies dad gave me when I started out... Good luck and get moving... We are just around the corner... And where in upstate NY??

[ryno83]

north of Binghamton. im not sure weather I should try to make the arc with the 275 drum this year or not... I think i'll have to tinker around with some ideas

[optionguru]

The 275 Gallon tank will be good. Search some threads and you'll see some great designs and ideas for upgrades to the oil tank arches. I'm running mine this year with 2 full size steam table pans (12" x 20") and 3 Half pans (6" x 20") this should give me 10 to 12 gph evaporation rate.

[maplerookie]

if you are so much on the fence, why don't you do a block arch. 1 hour and you can start boiling. you will need your pans 12 or so blocks stove pipe first year I didn't have a grate but it is an improvement in keeping the fire hot. lots of dry wood patience and sap...thermometer finish pan etc. but for the boil and a quick and easy set up id go with the block arch first year. then all next summer plan and build if you want.